Wednesday; August 15


          One of the neat things about this time of year is the Little League World Series.  You don’t have to be much of a baseball fan to get sucked into the charm of this international competition.   Young people (children) with a love for baseball are surrounded by some great traditions of the game.  I believe this is a special event because at the heart of this amateur exhibition is a blend of talent and sportsmanship. 
          As I watched a game the other day I was reminded that these pre-teens had a mental concept of the game that was not always matched by their physical ability.  They had been taught where to throw the ball, but they couldn’t always get their bodies to make the throw in time to get the runner.  They knew the correct positioning for fielding a grounder, but sometimes the small gap between position and coordination resulted in an error.  Ironically, those human imperfections may be what makes the game so pure and enjoyable.
          When I was watching the game I got to thinking about how the dilemma of these Little Leaguers kind of sums up adolescence.  Often, children know what they should do, they just don’t quite get it done.  These gap between knowledge and performance creates issues for them and their parents.  Adolescence can be a tough time on families, so every-once-in-a-while, as parents, we need to be reminded of our responsibilities.   Our goal is to consistently keep reinforcing the rules while allowing our young people to try and (often) fail in a safe environment.  I think the Apostle Paul understood this process when he wrote, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4 NIV).  Parents, hang in there.  You and your children will make it as long as you never lose heart or lose sight of the ultimate goal.
Think About It!

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